Alarm



Nov. 20, 1928.

S. SOTAK. JR

ALARM Filed NOV. 18. 1925 patented Nov. 20, 1928,

s AMvEL somaV JR., talisman PrNaSXIQYlf-lse- Application siedlnpvembeffis, 1925.A lsemi Nok ce, 6 4.

'My invention relates' tov a" motor driven alarm gong'. The invention'is particularly suitable for usekas a warning signahsuch as ,crossingsy and 'or yloire are used at railway alarms. p v I y Heretoforc, electric motors have been used for gongs which have been characterized by relatively heavy7 structures and particularly by'fth'e'fact that the striker pc its cease to operate upon cessation ofthe motor current, and also because an especially designed motor was built into the bell housine', thus resulting in an' expensive installa for; f

One of the `features lof the present invention is a gone' adapted to be driven'by a relatively small supplemental commbn duty aus? iliary electric motor, andso coupled together that the normalhigh .speed of the motor, through proper gearing,-is reduced down to the speeddesired for driving the bellparts. Another advantageous feature results from thev mechanism by which the moving striker parts of the bell may continue to operate after the electric motor and its gear'- inghave ceased movement. y

One embodiment kof my invention is de scribed in the present specification, and illustrated in the wherein Figure 1 vis a the gong;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the counterbalanced revolving, arms, portions beingbroken away; and o Figure 8 is a. front elevation of a collar and ratchet `gear embodied in the mechanism. The gong comprises a bell 3, threaded on a shaft el, and secured. by a lock nut 6, the shaft itself beingA screw threaded at 5 into the housing 1, 2. A tubular shaft-member 9 is mounted rotatably on shaft l by means of ball bearings 10, 11 at its ends, as shown. A counterbalanced strikerincmber comprising two opnositely ext-ending arms 8 radiafing accompanying` drawings,

partly sectional elevation of from a central hub is mounted on ball beary ings 211, 25 both supported by a shaft 4l, so

as to be free to rotate with respect to tubular shaft member 9 and independentlythereof. Each end ofthe member Sis bit'urcated as shown at S". A disk 7, having an elongated slot 7 is carried by a pin 8n in each of said bifurcations Sh. These disks cooperate with lugs 3a formed in the bell 8 to strike said lugs at every half-revolution, thereby sounding the bell. The slots 7il allow the disks to yield inwardly upon striking the lugs. A collar 22 secured to tubular member vQ'lby a sc-rewQS retains the .ball bearing 211, 25 in place onthe left, anda collar 18` secured-toaneniber 9 byscrew 26 retains lthe said ballr bearings lromv moving to the right.A Thefcollarfl is formed with an annular' groove`,`a`s showmand has a set of ratchet teeth 1:8a out inthe outer surfacek of said groove, as shown bestinfFigure v 3. These teeth cooperate with p awls 19",piv-` otcd at 21 to vmen'ib'er, andurged outwardlyv by sprincs E20, as shown'inFigure' 2.' This construction allows the memberl'to rotate freely in' a clockwise direction, as vi'ev'ved from the front, without' requiring the mem# ber 9 to partake of itsV rotation. .Spacing washersl?J are provided at oppositesides of hub of the member 8, the onenextfadljacen't the tubular member 9 hai/ing holes therethrough for the passage of oil, as will be described.

. A gear 16 is secured to member 9 by screw 1?,.and meshes with pinion 15, which is secured to shaft 1l, of motor 1.3, as by a nutle1 f and key 14D. The electric motor 13 is secured to the rear wall 1 of the casing by bolts 13a.

Lubrication'is provided by means of a bore 2'?, extendinginto shaft l and communicat- .ing with the inside of tubular member 9.

rllhe outer end of bore 27 communicates with oil duct Q8 inthe housingl 1 and oil cup 29. rlhe duct 28 leads into an annulargreove 2 8a which encircles the shaft fl. The oil is distributed from rthe interiorof member 9 to the two bearings 10, 11, and also beyond the bearing` 11 and past its next adjacent spacing' washer to the bearings 24T, 2 as well as to the bricating all the wearing 5, 19 and ratchet 18 thus thoroiwhlv luse i In operation, the motor 1B will, in the speciiic embodiment illustrated, cause the shaft to revolve in a clockwise direction, the motor being properly chosen to ensure rotation in the desired direction. Rotation shaft S) will ca* se the teeth 18 of theratche't wheel 18 to positively drive the pawls 19 whenever' the motor rotates. lThis will cause the arms S to carry the disks 7 around the interior of the bell 3, striking,` the lugs 3 and thereby ringing the bell. Upon stoppage of the motor 13, the gears 15 and 16 will, of course, also cease to revolve, but 'the momentum of arms 8 will cause these to continue to revolve, the pawls 19 riding' freely over the teeth 18a. The result is that the bell will continue to ring for i i some time after the current ceases to flow through the windings of the motor 13, and the warning signal is thus prolonged. The ball bearings used at 10, 1l, 24 and 25 serve to minimize the friction, and also assist in increasing the time the signal operates after the current is shut olf.

From the foregoing description, it is obvious that the gong is simple in construction, that a standard type of motor may be used, and that the ultimate cost of construction is accordingly-very low.

l. A signal device comprising a supported stud carrying an alarm member, a hollow shaft rotatably mounted concentrically with the stud and supported by it, a member cooperating .with said alarm member and mounted on said stud and rotatable independently of said hollow shaft, and means connecting said co-operating rotatable member and Y the hollow shaft for effecting such independent rotation in but one direction.

2. Asignal device comprising a supported stud carrying a gong, a shaft mounted concentrically with, and rotatable relatively to said stud, a striker for the gong mounted on said stud, and rotatable independently of said hollow shaft and acne-way clutch connecting the striker and the hollow shaft whereby member and a signal means mounted cooperatively therewith and having the greater part'of its weight concentrated away from its center of rotation, said rotary signal means being freely rotatable from a hollow shaft by a loose clutch and driven by means which includes a heavy rotating part.

In testimony whereof I attiX my signature.

i SAMUEL SOTAK, Jn. 

